Hist

• In AD 476, the Western Roman Empire fell and ancient times ended. Europe entered 'Medieval Times' (also known as the Middle Ages)

  
• What was the main purpose of aqueducts?

  Increase the public's access to water
• What benefits did the extensive road system bring?

  Military purposes, transportation, spread of ideas
• Who influenced the Romans the most?

  The ancient Greeks
• Who was the first Roman emperor to covert to Christianity?

  Constantine I
• In 753 BC, a Latin village developed into a city called "Rome" in central Italy. The people were known as "Romans" and spoke Latin. The ancient Roman civilization began here.
• The Romans learnt the ancient Greek civilization from their neighboring peoples and developed different political systems because of civil wars and foreign expansions.
• Political Development of Ancient Rome

  1. 753 BC: Romans were ruled by kings (Monarchial system)

  2. 509 BC: Romans overthrew their cruel king and set up the Roman Republic (Republican system)

  3. 27 BC: Roman Empire (Imperial rule)

  
• Republic


  A form of government or state ruled by the people
• Roman Republic


  • People elected their rulers
  • Government powers were divided into: executive, legislative and judiciary
  • Benefit: Prevent absolute power and increase power of the majority
• Executive


  Consuls and Senate - Rulers of the Roman Republic, chosen by election, not hereditary kings
• The Executive


  1. Consuls - Highest officials, handled political affairs

  2. Senate - Main advisory body of the Consuls, 600 senators, most were patricians, handled foreign affairs, distributed public funds, appointed governors, commanded the army, drafted bills, gave advice to the Consuls
• Urgent cases


  The Senate could appoint a dictator, limited to 6 months or less if the crisis passed. If a dictator refused to step down, could be forcibly removed.
• Development of the Executive

  1. Executive 1.0: Consuls and Senate

  2. Problem: Plebeians had no voice in the government

  3. Rise of the plebeians: Around 494 BC, plebeian soldiers refused to march, forcing patricians to allow plebeians to elect tribunes to protect their rights

  4. Executive 2.0: Starting from 342 BC, one of the consuls had to be a plebeian, greatly increasing the political power of the plebeians

  5. Executive 3.0
• Legislative


  • All male citizens could vote in elections for the legislative assemblies, including the elections for officials, and vote on bills suggested by the Senate
  • The Roman legislature could be divided into several assemblies with different functions and compositions, e.g. Centuriate Assembly, Plebeian Council
• The idea of republic which is "a state ruled by the people" spread within the expansion of the Roman Republic, and its influence continues today. Many modern countries still adopt republican system.
• Judiciary


  • The Romans learnt from the Greeks: Laws were ways in which individuals could be protected from each other and the power of the state
  • The Romans made the "Law of the Twelve Tables" in 450 BC with reference to the ancient Greek law, which was improved later and laid the foundation of the rule of law
  • The Roman law stressed natural rights of citizens, such as equality and liberty, which could not be taken away by the government
  • Citizens were equal before law, had the right to a fair trial and to appeal
• The spirit of Roman law was inherited by modern Western law codes, and Latin legal terms are still used by many countries.
• The continuity of Roman law to nowadays Hong Kong: People should not be punished without a trial, and people have the right to appeal, which protects civil rights through law.
• Classical Age


  The golden age of the ancient Greek civilization (around 5th-4th centuries BC)
• Classical Age

  • Expansion of ancient Greece and the ancient Greek civilization beyond the Greek peninsula
  • Athens was a centre of trade, learning and art on the peninsula

  
• Expansion of ancient Greek civilization

  Greeks set up colonies along the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea

  
• Macedonia

  A city-state in northern central Greece that became stronger
• Macedonia under Phillip II conquered the whole of Greek peninsula


  338 BC

  
• Phillip II was killed and succeeded by his son Alexander


  336 BC
• Alexander the Great

  • Ruled Greece and continued his father's plan of territorial expansion
  • Set up a large empire that covered Europe, Asia and Africa
  • Spread the Greek civilization to the places he conquered

  
• Spread of ancient Greek civilization

  • Ancient Greek colonies before Alexander the Great
  • Ancient Greek empire of Alexander the Great

  
• Hellenistic Age

  The period from 323 BC-146 BC when the Greek civilization still influenced the whole of the Mediterranean region, West and Central Asia

  
• Alexander the Great died and his empire was then divided

  323 BC
• Decline of ancient Greek civilization

  • From the 3rd century BC, the ancient Romans on the Italian peninsula became strong and conquered many territories that belonged to the ancient Greeks
  • In 146 BC, the ancient Romans conquered Macedonia and the whole Greek peninsula
  • The peninsula was then mainly influenced by the ancient Roman civilization
• The ancient Greek civilization declined
• Timeline: rise and decline of the ancient Greek civilization